SERIES: 20/20: Seeing Truth Clearly
MESSAGE: The Essential Church
SPEAKER: Skip Heitzig
SCRIPTURE: Matthew 16:13-20

MESSAGE SUMMARY
Many voices today are decrying the church, rejecting its message and doubting its relevance. And yet, according to its founder, Jesus Christ, the church is essential. COVID-19 has only served to accentuate the voices on both sides of the argument about the church’s importance, so we find ourselves on a timely subject. As we consider the nature and purpose of the church in this message from our 20/20 series, let’s be committed to being the people of God as the New Testament presents them to be.

STUDY GUIDE
Connect Group Recap Notes: December 13, 2020
Speaker: Skip Heitzig
Teaching: "The Essential Church"
Text: Matthew 16:13-20

Path

Many voices today are decrying the church, rejecting its message and doubting its relevance. And yet, according to its founder, Jesus Christ, the church is essential. COVID-19 has only served to accentuate the voices on both sides of the argument about the church's importance, so we find ourselves on a timely subject. Pastor Skip considers the nature and purpose of the church in this message, reminding Christians to be committed to being the people of God as the New Testament presents them to be.

  1. It's Essential Because of Its Designation
  2. It's Essential Because of Its Foundation
  3. It's Essential Because of Its Possession
  4. It's Essential Because of Its Preservation
Points

It's Essential Because of Its DesignationIt's Essential Because of Its FoundationIt's Essential Because of Its PossessionIt's Essential Because of Its PreservationPractice

Connect Up: Why is the church necessary to God's people? What are the church's main purposes? Use Acts 2:42-47 as a guide. How is each aspect of what this passage talks about—doctrine, prayer, fellowship, Communion, and evangelism—essential to our faith?

Connect In: What has the church meant to you? How has the church been a place of solace and service, providing solutions to life's problems? What do you expect from going to church? What are the benefits of meeting in person?

Connect Out: How would you answer a critic of church attendance? Respond to each of these positions, finding a Bible verse to support your answer:

DETAILED NOTES
December 13, 2020
Skip Heitzig
"The Essential Church"
Matthew 16:13-20

  1. Introduction
    1. For the past ten months, our society has been asking what is essential
      1. What businesses, activities, and institutions do we deem essential?
      2. The response has varied state by state
      3. With the shutdowns, many "nonessential" businesses are suffering (including their owners and employees)
      4. Depression, substance abuse, suicide, and spousal and child abuse are on the rise
      5. WHO admits lockdowns are detrimental to mental health
        1. Estimated 130 million could starve because of the lockdowns
        2. 1.6 million have died of COVID-19, and that's tragic, but compared to 130 million, it's a small figure
    2. Who is essential?
      1. Short answer: you are
        1. You are essential to God individually, and to society and the world
        2. You are essential to Jesus Christ
        3. You are a love gift from the Father to the Son (see John 17:9)
      2. The church is also essential
        1. Paul called the church "the pillar and ground of the truth" (1 Timothy 3:15)
        2. The church's message of the gospel and salvation is essential
        3. One of the COVID-19 vaccines is touted as being around 95 percent effective
          1. But sin is 100 percent effective
          2. All people have it, and only Christ is the cure
    3. In Matthew 16, Jesus first used the word church
    4. In this chapter, we see four reasons why the church is essential
  2. It's Essential Because of Its Designation
    1. Jesus said, "I will build My church" (v. 18)
    2. He didn't say club, online community, base of followers, or YouTube channel
    3. The word church is used over 110 times in the New Testament
      1. The church is a fellowship of believers meeting to learn, commune, pray, and minister (see Acts 2:42)
      2. The Greek word is ekklésia, meaning any regularly scheduled assembly
      3. The church is a gathering of saved people with a common goal: Christ
    4. The word church indicates:
      1. That we're different from the rest of society; God calls His people out from the rest of society for His purpose
      2. That we gather for a purpose
        1. We gather around and for Jesus Christ
        2. In this season, we use technology to offer a way to gather for those who aren't able to gather in person
        3. But when we can, the New Testament calls us to gather together
    5. What does gathering do for us?
      1. It fuels our faith; when we hear truth alongside other believers, we're encouraged and affirmed (see Hebrews 10:25)
      2. It enhances our humanity
        1. God created us for community, not isolation
        2. You can be a Christian without going to church
        3. But it's like being a football player without a team
      3. It provides accountability (see Proverbs 18:1); it's dangerous for us to do whatever we want without anyone checking us
      4. It fosters service
        1. Christians serve other people
        2. The gospel requires us not just to know but to go and do
        3. We get equipped for that at church
  3. It's Essential Because of Its Foundation
    1. Jesus said, "On this rock I will build My church" (v. 18)
      1. The rock is not Peter himself, but the truth of Peter's statement that Jesus is the Christ (see v. 16)
      2. The church's only foundation is Jesus Christ (see 1 Corinthians 3:11)
    2. Christians are the visible representation of Jesus in the world
      1. This is why you can go to church (a building) and yet not be the church (the people)
      2. If Jesus is your foundation, He is your life
      3. You are built on Him
      4. If you want to do as He asks, that includes gathering together as His church
  4. It's Essential Because of Its Possession
    1. The church is not something we possess but that Jesus possesses
    2. Notice to whom the church belongs: not a board or pastor, but Jesus
      1. He is the owner and architect
      2. He purchased it with His blood (see Acts 20:28)
      3. Is the church essential? Go by what it cost God
      4. The church doesn't belong to us, but Jesus
      5. The church doesn't belong to the government either
    3. In America, there's a strong separation of church and state for a reason: to keep the government out of the church's business
      1. "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof" —The First Amendment
      2. We have a responsibility to honor civil government (see Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-17)
      3. A Christian is to be a good citizen until being a good citizen means being a bad Christian
  5. It's Essential Because of Its Preservation
    1. Many believe that people won't return to church, even when the pandemic ends
    2. But Jesus stated, "The gates of hell shall not prevail against [my church]" (Matthew 16:18, ESV)
      1. The gates were part of an ancient city's protection, built as a passageway in the stone walls
      2. It was the first place enemies would attack
      3. Gates were also a place of authority and power
      4. The city gate was like city hall, where laws were passed and cases adjudicated
    3. Jesus referred to the "gates of Hades"
      1. Hades was a place of the dead—the grave
      2. Even the power of death and Satan will not prevail against the church
      3. The idea is the church will prevail no matter what attacks it:
        1. If you open up hell's gates and unleash all the wicked forces on the church
        2. If you persecute, torture, and kill believers
        3. If you burn their buildings and create chaos
    4. Go to Golgotha: if the cross couldn't defeat Christ, what can defeat His church?
      1. The church has 2,000 years of history of surviving persecution, martyrdom, and terrorism
      2. Jesus' church is not going anywhere
    5. Here is the real question: Will your faith survive COVID-19?
      1. Will you allow it to compromise Jesus' commands?
      2. Isolation mitigates risk, but what are you willing to risk for spiritual and emotional health?
      3. Faith rarely grows in isolation; this is one of the reasons Jesus started the church in the first place
    6. Make it a priority to go to church—in-person or online, indoors or outdoors
    7. Because it's not just about Jesus and you; it's about Jesus and us
Greek words: ekklésia

Cross references: Proverbs 18:1; John 17:9; Acts 2:42; 20:28; Romans 13:1-7; 1 Corinthians 3:11; 1 Timothy 3:15; Hebrews 10:25; 1 Peter 2:13-17

Topic: the church

Keywords: ecclesiology, essential, fellowship, government, persecution

Topic: the church

Keywords: ecclesiology, essential, fellowship, government, persecution


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